Perry v. Impact Family Counseling et al

On July 11, 2023, Christian Perry filed a landmark lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah against Impact Family Counseling and therapist Heidi B. Allen. Perry alleged that as a minor he was subjected to conversion therapy—a discredited practice intended to change sexual orientation—which caused severe psychological harm, including depression and suicidal ideation. The complaint accused the defendants of deceptive trade practices under Utah law, fraud, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The suit was filed shortly after Utah's ban on conversion therapy for minors took effect, underscoring the challenges in enforcing the new law. Perry, represented by the ACLU of Utah and Ropes & Gray, sought damages and an injunction to stop the counseling center from providing conversion therapy to minors in the state.

In February 2024, the parties reached a settlement before trial. Impact Family Counseling agreed to permanently cease providing conversion therapy to minors in Utah, pay $400,000 in damages to Christian Perry, and issue a formal apology. The settlement did not include an admission of liability but resulted in a court-enforceable permanent injunction against the defendants.

Whether Impact Family Counseling and its therapist engaged in fraudulent and harmful conversion therapy practices on a minor, thereby violating Utah consumer protection laws and inflicting emotional distress, and whether such practices constitute an ongoing violation of the state's recent ban on conversion therapy for minors.

The case reinforced Utah’s ban on conversion therapy and demonstrated that survivors can hold practitioners accountable through civil litigation. It provided a powerful legal template for challenging conversion therapy under consumer fraud statutes nationwide. The substantial settlement and the permanent shutdown of the counseling program were hailed as a major victory for LGBTQ+ rights, encouraging other states to adopt and enforce similar protections for vulnerable youth.